D+TM #37 Don Undeen

What: D+T Masterclass
What: Hacking Museums
When: Monday 12th of October, 3:20-6pm
Where: Parsons Paris room 500
Who: Don Undeen

Hacking Museums
What is the value of cultural collections of antiquity to the practicing creative technologist? How do we operate from an independent vantage point to interrogate, supplicate, celebrate and provoke humanity’s cultural heritage and the institutions that “own” it?

In this workshop, Don Undeen will illustrate the importance of understanding contemporary creative technology as part of a continuum that dates back to humankind’s first efforts to express themselves in abstract symbols. From this point of view, museums, archives and libraries are invaluable tools in the development and expression of an individual artistic vision. Additionally, different definitions of “authority,” “authenticity,” and “property” create dissonances between the museum’s interests and those of public it serves.

We will discuss examples of works addressing these issues, and open questions for future work. Students will also be exposed to a variety of practical tools, best practices, and resources that will help them strategize, implement, and promote their own new media museum interventions.

Bio
Former Founding and Senior Manager of the MediaLab at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 2012 Don was tasked with establishing a space for experimentation at the intersection of art, technology, and the museum experience. By working closely with NYC’s creative technology community, the MediaLab developed a worldwide reputation for consistently delivering provocative, exciting, and valuable projects.

Currently an independent consultant, Don continues to bring together cultural experts and technologists to explore new connections between collections and electrons.

twitter: @DonUndeen